‘Bukol’ not cool

A group of media practitioners allied with the Concerned Seafarers of the Philippines (CSP) has been feeding news outlets with press releases and statements calling for Department of Migrant Workers Undersecretary Jerome Pampolina to inhibit himself from the crafting of the implementing rules and regulations of the Magna Carta for Seafarers.

The racket involves the media practitioners acting as the “public relations” go-between for the CSP, giving them a lucrative side hustle plus a budget taken from the CSP as logistical expenses for the cause of gaining media mileage.

The culprits even use the statement of former Representative Neri Colmenares calling for more consultations with stakeholders, especially seafarers, in the crafting of the charter.

Unknown to their media offices, the media practitioners have raised more than P1 million for their supposed media blitz for the CSP but the money was mostly divided among themselves.

Their peers were also subjected to what is known in the media industry as “bukol” or using the names of reporters who are unaware that they are being exploited for extortion.